Like Father/Like Son: Drews, Martelli, Odom, Pitino & Willard Duplicate Dad
For the second time in eight years, Hall of Famer Rick Pitino (St. John's) is joined in NCAA Tournament by his son Richard (New Mexico after Minnesota in 2017). They are the only father-son "chip-off-the-old-block" duo in the same tourney. The elder Pitino's playoff appearance with Iona two years ago was a springboard to returning to a power-league position.
This year's event has UNM's Pitino, Baylor's Scott Drew, Grand Canyon's Bryce Drew, Bryant's Phil Martelli Jr., Virginia Commonwealth's Ryan Odom and Maryland's Kevin Willard following in the NCAA dance-party footsteps of their respective fathers. John Thompson Jr. and John III are the only one of the following 19 father-son combinations to each win more than six NCAA playoff games:
Gene Bartow (Memphis State, UCLA and UAB; 14-12 record in 1973-76-77-81-82-83-84-85-86-87-90-94)/Murry Bartow (UAB and East Tennessee State; 0-4 in 1999 and 2004-09-10)
Dick Bennett (Wisconsin-Green Bay and Wisconsin; 5-6 in 1991-94-95-97-99-00)/Tony Bennett (Washington State and Virginia; 16-11 in 2007-08-12-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-23-24)
Jeff Capel Jr. (North Carolina A&T and Old Dominion; 1-3 in 1994-95-97)/Jeff Capel III (Virginia Commonwealth, Oklahoma and Pittsburgh); 6-4 in 2004-08-09-23)
Tom Davis (Boston College and Iowa; 18-11 in 1981-82-87-88-89-91-92-93-96-97-99)/Keno Davis (Drake; 0-1 in 2008)
Homer Drew (Valparaiso; 2-7 in 1996-97-98-99-00-02-04)/Scott Drew (Baylor; 20-11 in 2008-10-12-14-15-16-17-19-21-22-23-24) and Bryce Drew (Valparaiso, Vanderbilt and Grand Canyon; 1-7 in 2013-15-16-17-21-23-24)
Clarence Iba (Tulsa; 1-1 in 1955)/Gene Iba (Houston Baptist and Baylor; 0-2 in 1984 and 1988)
Hank Iba (Oklahoma State; 15-7 in 1945-46-49-51-53-54-58-65)/Moe Iba (Nebraska; 0-1 in 1986)
Bob Knight (Indiana and Texas Tech; 45-25 in 1973-75-76-78-80-81-82-83-84-86-87-88-89-90-91-92-93-94-95-96-97-98-99 and 2000-02-04-05-07)/Pat Knight (Lamar; 0-1 in 2012)
Phil Martelli Sr. (Saint Joseph's) (7-7 in 1997 and 2001-03-04-08-14-16)/Phil Martelli Jr. (Bryant) making first appearance in 2025
Ray Meyer (DePaul; 14-16 in 1943-53-56-59-60-65-76-78-79-80-81-82-84)/Joey Meyer (DePaul; 6-7 in 1985-86-87-88-89-91-92)
Don Monson (Idaho; 1-2 in 1981 and 1982)/Dan Monson (Gonzaga, Minnesota and Long Beach State; 3-4 in 1999 and 2005-12-24)
Bill Musselman (Minnesota and South Alabama; 1-2 in 1972 and 1997)/Eric Musselman (Nevada and Arkansas; 10-6 in 2017-18-19-21-22-23)
Dave Odom (Wake Forest and South Carolina; 10-9 in 1991-92-93-94-95-96-97-01-04)/Ryan Odom (UMBC, Utah State and Virginia Commonwealth; 1-2 in 2018 and 2023)
Rick Pitino (Boston University, Providence, Kentucky, Louisville, Iona and St. John's; 54-21 in 1983-87-92-93-94-95-96-97-03-04-05-07-08-09-10-11-12-13-14-15-17-21-23)/Richard Pitino (Minnesota and New Mexico; 1-3 in 2017-19-24)
Eddie Sutton (Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma State; 39-26 in 1974-77-78-79-80-81-82-83-84-85-86-87-88-91-92-93-94-95-98-99 and 2000-01-02-03-04-05)/Scott Sutton (Oral Roberts; 0-3 in 2006-07-08)
John Thompson Jr. (Georgetown; 34-19 in 1975-76-79-80-81-82-83-84-85-86-87-88-89-90-91-92-94-95-96-97)/John Thompson III (Princeton and Georgetown; 9-10 in 2001-04-06-07-08-10-11-12-13-15)
Butch van Breda Kolff (Princeton; 7-5 in 1963-64-65-67)/Jan van Breda Kolff (Vanderbilt and Pepperdine; 1-2 in 1997 and 2000)
Ralph Willard (Western Kentucky and Holy Cross; 2-6 in 1993, 1994 and 2001-02-93-07)/Kevin Willard (Seton Hall and Maryland; 2-6 in 2016-17-18-19-22-23)